14 Movies Like Project X You'll Want To Watch Next
"Project X" is a found footage comedy about the party that Thomas Kub (Thomas Mann) throws for his 17th birthday while his parents are out of town. Mild-mannered Thomas and his friends are sick of being treated like jokes at their high school, so Costa (Oliver Cooper) suggests throwing an epic party to permanently change their social status. Costa ensures a big turnout, by advertising the party online and texting everyone at their school.
The party spins wildly out of control, as hundreds of teenagers and young adults descend upon Thomas' suburban Pasadena neighborhood, Enraged neighbors call the cops, an unstable drug dealer crashes the party to retrieve his stash (that's already been consumed by the guests), and Thomas, his best friends, and his dog wind up having to flee the scene of "the greatest house party ever."
The found footage style works perfectly with this premise because many teens love filming and sharing things on social media, so this visual element gives a dash of authenticity to a film that steps outside the bounds of realism. Although many mainstream critics hated the movie, audiences didn't totally agree, as the film became a commercial success. "Project X" is an irreverent, hilarious, and brash addition to the house party and "one wild night" genre, so read on to discover what other films will scratch that itch for a good and wild party time.
Animal House (1978)
"National Lampoon's Animal House" not only made John Belushi a star, but also may have birthed the wild house party genre (via Salon). It may be hard to imagine, but no one thought that it would be the massive commercial hit that it turned out to be, nor that it would get such acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Tim Matheson, who played Eric "Otter" Stratton, told Page Six that "[Universal] didn't really want to make this movie" and multiple directors passed on the project before John Landis accepted the job.
Set in 1962 at a fictitious college, "Animal House" follows the raunchy parties, pranks, and love lives of the Delta fraternity. Dean Vernon Wormer (John Vernon) despises the Deltas and puts them on "private special double probation." He takes things even further by conspiring with the head of a rival fraternity to find a way to expel the entire Delta fraternity. When the Deltas are expelled, however, they fight back in a way that leaves far more destruction than any of their epic parties ever did.
Roger Ebert called the film, "anarchic, messy, and filled with energy" in his 4-star review, acknowledging both the crude humor and the film's brilliant insight into "the most revealing nuances of human behavior." Looking back, this 1978 film seems tame compared to the crude "Project X," but the correlations between the two are abundant with their focus on epic parties that end in a riot, and a group of friends getting wild together.
If you're looking for a classic — perhaps the classic — party film, "Animal House" is the way to go. It offers an amazing soundtrack, an iconic toga party, and the chance to see actors like John Belushi and Donald Sutherland when they were young.
Risky Business (1983)
When Joel's parents leave him home alone to go on vacation, they aren't worried, because Joel is a responsible teenager with his sights set on Princeton. It turns out, they should have reason to be concerned, as Miles (Curtis Armstrong) encourages Joel (Tom Cruise) to take a walk on the wild side. Joel does so, which soon leads to enlisting the services of sex worker Lana (Rebecca De Mornay), his father's Porsche sinking to the bottom of Lake Michigan, and turning his house into a brothel for a night to pay for the damages to his father's car. It's the perfect scheme ... until Joel's Princeton interviewer shows up during this wild and sexy house party.
"Risky Business" is a classic '80s film about innocence lost and wisdom gained, and it helped turn Cruise into a huge star. Rotten Tomatoes gives this teen film a certified fresh score, with the Critics Consensus stating that "Risky Business" is "a sharp, funny examination of teen angst that doesn't stop short of exploring dark themes." While the events of "Project X" spin wildly out of control over mere hours, we watch Joel's slow slide from trusted son to temporary hustler occur over a few days. Joel discovers life isn't always black and white, and you can't necessarily trust someone just because you want to, but at least he has some fun while learning all of this.
Sixteen Candles (1984)
John Hughes' "Sixteen Candles" elevates teen comedy to a new level, by subtly subverting the standards of '80s raunchiness and putting an awkward teenage girl, Samantha (Molly Ringwald), front and center. Sam's older sister's shotgun wedding is ruining Sam's life. Her whole family is in town, including her embarrassing grandparents, who have kicked her out of her room. The family has an exchange student, Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe) staying in their house. Jake (Michael Schoeffling), a popular senior and Sam's crush, doesn't even know she exists. A freshman known as Geek (Anthony Michael Hall) has stolen a pair of Sam's underwear, and is charging other boys to look at it. Amidst all of this chaos, everyone has completely forgotten Sam's 16th birthday, and she wonders if anything can turn the start of her 16th year around.
While not as raunchy as "Project X," the connections between the two films are clear. Both Sam and Thomas are serious teens, who behave out of character because of their birthdays. Mayhem ensues at wild parties, and the main characters feel like they are on the fringes of their own lives looking in. "Sixteen Candles" was Hughes' directorial debut, which established him as the master of teen movies, and Ringwald as a teen star, thanks to her sarcastic and sweet turn as Sam. This comedy is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and boasts great audience scores too. The excellent cast lifts "Sixteen Candles" up, making it a classic movie about a chaotic weekend that changes a teenager's life.
Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
When Chris' (Elisabeth Shue) boyfriend cancels on her, her night goes downhill after she agrees to babysit Sarah (Maia Brewton). Much like Thomas from "Project X," Chris is a responsible teenager, who's easily trusted by parents. But when Chris' best friend Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller) gets trapped at the Chicago bus station with no money and no way home, Chris decides to help her. She takes Sarah, Sarah's older brother Brad (Keith Coogan), and his friend Daryl (Anthony Rapp) on a wild night into the city in Chris Columbus' directorial debut.
When one tire blows out on Chris's station wagon on the expressway, Chris and the kids are dragged into a series of misadventures leading them through back alleys, chop shops, and in the middle of a gang fight on the train, before bringing down the house when they sing the "babysitting blues" in a club.
While "Project X" was a raunchy bacchanalia fueled by drugs and booze, this family-friendly '80s movie is a comedy of errors with a sugar high. "Adventures in Babysitting" strikes the perfect balance of sweet but never saccharine. It hasn't aged badly either, as it maintains a nostalgic quality while eliciting laughs, and it's gotten solid scores on Rotten Tomatoes. This '80s classic has secured a place amongst movies about one wild night snowballing out of control, which makes it a distant cousin of "Project X."
House Party (1990)
This teen comedy, written and directed by Reginald Hudlin, is a candy confection of early '90s hip-hop nostalgia. When Kid's (Christopher Reid) father grounds him for getting into a fight at school, he sneaks out, so he can attend the house party his friend Play (Christopher Martin) is hosting. Things get somewhat out of hand: Bullies bust into the party to harass Kid, Kid and Play both try to get lucky with the hottest girls in school (despite not even knowing which one they're interested in), and an annoyed neighbor calls the cops.
"House Party" is rated R, but it also has a sweet and light attitude, as it doesn't take itself too seriously but manages to elicit a lot of laughs. Kid 'n Play made their big-screen debut in "House Party" with Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, and A. J. Johnson co-starring. Not only did this movie help these actors become famous, it also has excellent scores on Rotten Tomatoes. "House Party" is more innocent than the raunchier "Project X," but both films have rightfully earned a place in the teen party genre.
Dazed and Confused (1993)
From the first day of freshman year to graduation, teenage years are abundant with rites of passage, and for many, attending an epic high school party is one of the most important. Writer/director Richard Linklater's cult classic "Dazed and Confused" follows a group of teenagers in a small Texas town on the last day of school in 1976. When Pickford's (Shawn Andrews) parents get wise to his party, they cancel their trip, leaving the teens looking for another location to host their end-of-the-year beer bust.
This beginning of the film puts a surprising twist on the "house party while the parents are away" trope, and we see an homage to Linklater's film in the opening of "Project X" when Thomas eagerly awaits his parents' departure, so he can begin prepping the house for an epic party. "Dazed and Confused" shifts into the "one wild night" territory once the party is canceled, and we see how each character meanders through their night to end up at an epic keg party at the moon tower.
Unlike "Project X," Linklater's film isn't raunchy or risqué, but rather is a nostalgic trip back to the '70s with an excellent soundtrack and an incredible ensemble cast. One thing the two films do have in common is how they capture the tension of youth between the restlessness to move forward, get out, and move on, juxtaposed with the desire to make the most of the time, while you're still young, wild, and free. Both films are about a group of young people on the cusp of adulthood, who are figuring out who they want to be, so any fan of "Project X" will be sure to love this '90s classic.
Go (1999)
"Project X" plays with the narrative devices of filmmaking by promoting the film as found-footage, which gives it an aura of authenticity and a chaotic and vulgar edginess. Doug Liman's "Go" plays with narrative structures too, as it shows us the same night, experienced through the point-of-view of distinct characters, who are loosely attached by circumstance in Los Angeles.
We follow the misadventures of Ronna (Sarah Polley), a 17-year-old grocery store clerk, who will be evicted the next morning on Christmas Day, and her friends Claire (Katie Holmes) and Mannie (Nathan Bexton), who all work at the grocery store together. Simon (Desmond Askew) is their drug-dealing coworker, who gets Ronna to cover his shift so he can go to Vegas with friends, where he sets a hotel room on fire, shoots a bouncer at a strip club, and gets run out of town.
We also follow the soap opera stars Adam (Scott Wolf) and Zach (Jay Mohr), a closeted gay couple, who usually buy drugs from Simon. Since he's out of town, they rope Ronna into selling them drugs instead. Everyone has a completely wild night, with many characters ending up at the same rave, which drenches this movie in late '90s nostalgia.
"Go" is a smart, stylish, and tangled web. The plotting is intricate, the dialogue is witty, and the cast is terrific! The Washington Post calls the movie, "furiously paced, perversely entertaining 'Pulp Fiction' for puppies" and Rotten Tomatoes gives it a fresh rating. This film is definitely worth a re-watch if you haven't seen it since its 1999 release, and is a must-see if you've never heard of it or seen it before.
Superbad (2007)
"Superbad" explores the ever-elusive search for booze that many high school students know all too well. Evan (Michael Cera), Seth (Jonah Hill), and Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) are socially awkward seniors desperate to lose their virginity before heading off to college in the fall. This hilarious movie follows these three friends, as they try to acquire alcohol for the party. Things fall apart once Fogell, who has a fake ID under the name McLovin, gets separated from his friends after witnessing an attempted armed robbery at the liquor store.
Fogell goes on an epic adventure with Officer Slater (Bill Hader) and Officer Michaels (Seth Rogen), who are desperate to convince him that cops are cool people too. Meanwhile, Evan and Seth make it to the party with alcohol in tow, and go off to find the girls they like. All three boys have an abundance of awkward situations and new experiences during their wild night.
Although this teen comedy is raunchy and crude, it also depicts a sweet innocence the characters won't have much longer. Like "Project X," this film centers on three friends, who aren't part of the cool crowd, but they hope a party will change their social status. "Superbad" is hilarious, thoughtful, and well-written, which sets it in a different league from your average teen-party comedy. The entire cast of "Superbad" is excellent, and Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie fresh scores with critics and audiences alike.
The Hangover (2009)
"The Hangover" explores what could go wrong when three friends and the groom's soon-to-be brother-in-law go to Vegas for a bachelor party. When Alan (Zach Galifianakis), Phil (Bradley Cooper), and Stu (Ed Helms) wake up in a trashed hotel room with no memory of the night before, they discover that the groom Doug (Justin Bartha) is missing. So, they retrace their steps and slowly piece together what they got themselves into last night. As they learn about their increasingly wild antics, they realize they aren't any closer to finding Doug, and worry that they won't get him back to his wedding on time.
This out-of-control comedy about a night of debauchery lost to a group blackout is hilarious, raunchy, and fast-paced. Their antics are inventive, the characters are memorable, and the actors embody these characters well. The cast has great comedic timing and they play off of each other nicely. Both "The Hangover" and "Project X" center around bromances and wild nights that go too far, which could have negative consequences for everyone involved. "The Hangover" has good critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, and was a huge commercial success that spawned two follow-up movies. If you liked "Project X," this epic ride is a guaranteed laugh.
Bridesmaids (2011)
"Bridesmaids" is a raunchy comedy about how Annie's (Kristen Wiig) life falls apart when she becomes the maid of honor for her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolf). Anne is in charge of planning things for Lillian's dream wedding, but she soon finds herself in competition with Helen (Rose Byrne), Lillian's "perfect" new friend, who usually leaves Annie feeling like an incompetent mess. Already feeling adrift after losing her bakery and boyfriend, this is one more blow to Annie's fragile ego than she just can't take. Being surrounded by people who have their lives together only reveals how much of a mess Annie's life has become, and things soon spiral even more out of control for her.
Unlike "Project X," the events in this film take place over a series of months rather than one wild night. However, the evolving disaster of Annie's life snowballs out of control, which leads to extreme and laugh-out-loud events, like succumbing to food poisoning at the bridal shop, getting kicked off a plane after mixing anti-anxiety meds with scotch, and having a major tantrum at the bridal shower. "Bridesmaids" has fresh ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and proves that female-centered comedies with amazing ensemble casts can be just as funny and ribald as bromances like "The Hangover" and "Project X."
This Is The End (2013)
Co-written and co-directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, "This Is The End" is a party movie that pokes fun at the entertainment industry, formulaic filmmaking, and the concept of celebrity. A group of actors including Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson all play fictional versions of themselves, while Michael Cera, Emma Watson, Mindy Kaling, and Rihanna make amazing cameos to this out-of-control comedy.
When Jay arrives in LA to visit his friend Seth, they immediately decide to go to James Franco's housewarming party. While Seth and Jay are shopping at a convenience store to get party supplies, an earthquake strikes, and then blue shafts of light suck people up into the sky. When Seth and Jay get back to Franco's house, no one believes Jay about what he saw, until another earthquake drives the crowd outside, where a sinkhole kills multiple guests, including Rihanna. After the cataclysmic event, a group of surviving friends are left sheltering in Franco's home, but tensions rise quickly and Jay finds his friendship with Seth getting tested, as the world is ending.
"This is the End" has the same crude humor and rowdy vibe as "Project X." This film also plays with narrative by twisting reality in a meta way, as these actors play themselves, while toying with their public personas. "This is the End" isn't a perfect film, but it's funny and has a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and all of these elements make it perfect for any fan of "Project X."
Bad Moms (2016)
"Bad Moms" follows three friends: Amy (Mila Kunis), Carla (Kathryn Hahn), and Kiki (Kristen Bell), who are sick and tired of the pressures of being "perfect" mothers. They revolt and give themselves permission to be "bad moms." They play hooky to watch a matinee, skip PTA meetings, and throw a wild party as ways of shirking the oppressive demands foisted upon women to give 100% of themselves to their families, and deny themselves lives or identities outside of motherhood.
The mean girl mom group led by Gwendolyn (Christina Applegate) gives our crew of bad moms a prim and perfect contingent to rebel against and dethrone with their revolution. Bell is hilarious as perky stay-at-home mom Kiki, who hides a wild child behind her feigned innocence. Kunis is relatable as the overworked, under-appreciated single mom, who is just trying to keep her life moving after her divorce. But Hahn steals the movie with her performance as Carla, the smart-mouthed friend, who will say or do anything for a laugh.
Critics may have not loved "Bad Moms," but the audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes challenge that response and the movie was commercially successful enough to get a sequel. This woman-focused comedy might target a different audience than "Project X," but it shows us that "moms gone wild" can party as hard as teenagers and be just as raunchy as the boys.
Game Night (2018)
Not everyone wants to party so hard they watch the sunrise, feel haggard, and can barely remember their epic night. Some of us are past the party-till-you-puke stage of life and prefer to get together for a game night with a small group of friends, some serious snacks, and superb wine. "Game Night" is the perfect grown-up addition to the one wild night genre that will speak to anyone who loves stiff competition in a controlled environment.
A group of friends' regular game night gets hijacked when Max's (Jason Bateman) brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) introduces a mystery live-action role-playing game ... just before getting kidnapped from his living room. The three couples continue with their game night, thinking his kidnapping was part of the game. They set out in teams to solve the mystery. But as Max and his wife Annie (Rachel McAdams) investigate Brooks' disappearance, they realize that Brooks was actually kidnapped, and now everyone is in danger.
As the night snowballs out of control, this excellent cast delivers a stream of laughs during a never-ending wild ride. "Game Night" is less crass than "Project X," but both films deliver high-octane hilarity and a frenetic over-the-top experience that will leave you chuckling long after the movie ends. McAdams and Bateman are terrific together, and the rest of the cast members deliver outstanding performances. "Game Night" has a fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and will definitely give you more fun than your average game night.
Zola (2020)
Director Janicza Bravo's film, "Zola" is based on a true story. This darkly funny and thought-provoking film is drawn from a viral 148-tweet thread shared by a Detroit-based exotic dancer named Aziah "Zola" Wells (formerly King). In the tweets, Zola shares a harrowing tale about how a dancing trip to Florida with a woman she had just met while serving at Hooters goes completely off the rails. Rolling Stone said, "It reads like 'Spring Breakers' meets 'Pulp Fiction,' as told by Nicki Minaj," and they weren't kidding.
The film follows Zola (Taylour Paige) and Stefani (Riley Keough) on a road trip to Tampa Bay with Stefani's boyfriend Derrek (Nicholas Braun) and their housemate, who remains nameless for most of the film (Colman Domingo). What was supposed to be a simple dancing trip turns into Stefani doing sex work, while Stefani's "housemate" — who is actually her pimp — basically holds Zola hostage. Things get tense and out of control, as Zola tries to get away from these people and get out of Tampa alive.
"Zola" answers the age-old question of what could go wrong when traveling with strangers and the answer is ... everything! The film is edgy and racy, like "Project X," but it is more mature and thoughtful, and it places women front and center. Despite going to dark places and dealing with serious subjects like sexual assault and human trafficking, the cast is excellent, incredibly funny, and commit to their characters 100%. If you haven't yet checked out this wild ride, Rotten Tomatoes gives it a fresh rating, so take your next trip with "Zola."
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